United Kingdom asset management firm Threadneedle International has been expanding its distribution operations in the Asia-Pacific region.

As part of the push, the firm has appointed David Chinnery as head of distribution in Australia.

Threadneedle opened its first Australian office in Brisbane in March last year, after it had hired five investment professionals from Babcock & Brown's asset-backed bonds unit.

The investment team is led by Steven Fleming and Ashley Burtenshaw and runs portfolios of residential and commercial asset-backed securities and collateral debt obligations.

The office also distributes Threadneedle's overseas funds, including equity, fixed income and hedge funds.

The appointment of an Australian head of distribution is part of the firm's push into the Asia-Pacific region.

In April, Threadneedle relocated its head of United States and Asia distribution William Lowndes to Hong Kong to focus solely on the region.

The fund house also wants to add distribution staff in its Singapore office, under the leadership of deputy head of Asian distribution Jon Allen.

In an interview with Reuters in May, Threadneedle head of distribution Campbell Fleming, who is also an Australian, said the fund manager was aiming to add 12 to 24 more people in distribution globally over the next two years.

This is in addition to the 12 distribution staff that have already come on board since Fleming joined the firm in November 2009.